Geoff Tate Stars In New Independent Horror-Thriller Flick

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group/Cleopatra Studios

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group/Cleopatra Studios

Geoff Tate is starring in a new independent horror flick.

The former Queensryche and current Operation Mindcrime front man is starring in the direct-to-DVD movie The Burningmore Deaths.  The movie, set to be released on DVD and digital platforms on Feb. 14 via Cleopatra Studios and MVD Entertainment Group, is based on true events centered on a group of unsolved murders.

The murders are alleged to have happened in 2005 during the filming of a pilot for a home improvement television series. A man named James Parrish is believed to have murdered the crew filming the home makeover presentation in the house where he is also alleged to have previously murdered his own wife and children.

As the film crew proceeds to record the series’ pilot, Parrish allegedly murdered the film crew, with the whole event being caught on security cameras set up by the show’s crew.  Tate takes on the role of Parrish in this gripping horror/thriller from MVD Entertainment Group.  Audiences can view a trailer for the movie online now here.

 

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group/Cleopatra Studios

Courtesy: MVD Entertainment Group/Cleopatra Studios

 

Tate said taking on the role of Parrish was not a big change of pace for him because of his experience.  It just meant thinking a little bit differently.

“I think I’ve always done it…In our own shows and with the way I present music,” Tate said. “It all has a bit of a stage acting bend to it. So this wasn’t really a stretch for me.  It was just playing to a different audience, to a camera rather than a room full of people, but it’s the same thing.  You play-act and you make stuff up and you present that like you would in a stage show.”

The Burningmore Deaths can be ordered online direct via MVD Entertainment Group’s online store and via Amazon.  More information on this and other titles from MVD Entertainment Group is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://mvdb2b.com, http://mvdentertainment.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MVDEntertainmentGroup

 

 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mvdentgroup

 

 

 

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Condition Human Shows Why Queensryche Remains Today One Of Rock’s Elite Acts

Courtesy:  Century Media Records

Courtesy: Century Media Records

The story of veteran rock band Queensryche is one of the most amazing stories in the music community today.  Having originally formed in 1982, the band has seen the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in the three decades plus since its formation.  Those highs include: releasing fourteen albums (or fifteen depending on whether or not one counts Frequency Unknown (which was recorded by Geoff Tate’s Queensryche after his split from his former band mates in 2013) as part of the official Queensryche canon or as its own recording separate from the official Queensryche canon, selling more than twenty million albums worldwide, and earning just as many fans, if not more, in every corner of the world.  It has done this largely without the support of mainstream rock radio or even that of MTV and other music networks.  The lows mainly are composed of the band’s lineup changes, including the now infamous split between now former front man Geoff Tate and his one-time band mates.  Through it all Queensryche has managed to soldier on and remain a relevant and creative force within the rock and music community.  Its latest album Condition Human is proof positive of that.  The twelve-song, fifty-three minute record contains what is in the eyes (and ears) of this critic to be some of the best material that the band has released in its more than three-decade life.  That is thanks both to its musical and lyrical content.  The album’s opener ‘Arrow of Time’ is a prime example of that.  ‘Just Us,’ which comes much later in the album’s run is another example of just how relevant and creative the band has remained.  ‘Guardian,’ with its mix of classic Queensryche sound and socio-political lyrical commentary is one more example of just how relevant and creative Queensryche remains more than thirty years after its original formation.  While all three noted songs show in their own way just how important Queensryche remains within the rock and music community in whole, it would be wrong to note only those compositions.  The seven songs that remain unnoted here each play their own part in exhibiting the band’s continued relevance and creativity.  All things considered Condition Human is an album that shows just how much this veteran rock act still has in the tank.  They show in whole to be one more of the year’s best new rock albums.

Queensryche’s latest full-length studio recording Condition Human is one more of this year’s best new rock records.  Regardless of whether one considers it the band’s fourteenth or fifteenth (thanks to the release of Frequency Unknown by Geoff Tate’s Queensryche in 2013), this album still stands as a tribute to the band’s drive and commitment to making music that it and its fans wil enjoy.  They show in whole a band that remains both relevant within the rock and music community and just as creative as ever.  Of course it would be impossible to cover every one of the album’s songs in one sitting.  Keeping that in mind, this review will focus on just a few of what this critic considers to be prime examples of what makes this album stand out so well beginning with the album’s opener ‘Arrow of Time.’  ‘Arrow of Time’ was a good choice for an opener for this record.  That is thanks largely to the song’s classic Queensryche sound in its musical content and its thought-provoking lyrical content.  Looking at the song’s musical content, guitarists Michael Wilton and Parker Lundgren’s dual guitar attack creates the band’s trademark classic Queensryche sound.  At the same time,  there is also an obvious modern touch to the duo’s sound that could actually be considered somewhat hard rock-influenced.  It gives the song a nice touch that will take long-time fans back in time while also showing those same listeners just how far the band has come and how it has continued to adapt and change.  Front man Todd LaTorre, who took over vocal duties for the band in 2013, adds his own impressive element to the mix with his powerhouse vocal delivery.  Those that perhaps have not already had the pleasure of hearing LaTorre’s vocals will be blown away by just how similar LaTorre sounds to former front man Geoff Tate.  Audiences that are familiar with both vocalists’ styles could even argue that LaTorre is just as incredible as Tate in his abilities if not better.  These elements are just one part of what makes this song an example of what makes Condition Human another standout record from Queensryche.  The song’s lyrical content is just as important as its musical content in exhibiting this.  LaTorre sings in the song, which was co-written by himself, Michael Wilton, and bassist Eddie Jackson, “What will you do/When it’s right upon you/Like a ring of fire/Why ask why/No need to justify/Who really cares anyway/Ethical tragedy/Rabid humanity/Learn from the past they say.”  He goes on to sing in the song’s chorus, “Now is the time to make up your mind/And find out what is real/Fight or flight you can’t run/You can’t run from yourself.”  LaTorre and company come across as asking listeners, “what are you going to do with those tough situations in life that everyone faces?”  There seems to be a bit of sarcasm as he responds in the chorus, “Why ask why/No need to justify/Who really cares anyway/Ethical tragedy/Rabid humanity/Learn from the past they say.”  It’s as if the song’s subject is answering the question posed in the song’s lead verse by saying cynically, “Who cares what I do?  Look at everything going on.  No one has learned their lesson.”  This sentiment is echoed in the song’s second verse as LaTorre sings, “One reason to survive/With a thousand ways to die/When you’re living on the wire/Reaching the threshold near system overload/Caught on the red eye again.”  This verse sees LaTorre coming across as saying that with so much negativity out there there is so little reason to keep going when one is on the edge thanks to all of the negativity in the world.  The song closes with LaTorre singing once more, “You can’t run from yourself.”  In other words, we would do well to face ourselves even in those tough situations that seem overwhelming.  Trying to escape those problems only causes more problems.  This is just the interpretation of this critic.  By no means is it to mean that this is the only interpretation.  Right or wrong, the lyrical content contained within this song and the song’s musical content together make it a clear example of why Queensryche remains a fan favorite even in its latest new release.

‘Arrow of Time’ proves thanks to its musical and lyrical content to be a good choice for Condition Human’s opener.  In the same vein, it also is a prime example of why Queensryche remains just as relevant today as it was in its earliest years.  It also serves to show the band’s continued creativity even after so many years.  It is just one example of why Queensryche remains so relevant today and a fan favorite, too.  ‘Just Us’ is another one of the songs included in this record that shows the band’s continued relevance and creativity.  Unlike ‘Arrow of Time,’ this song is much softer but just as powerful through its musical content.  The same can be said of the song’s lyrical content.  It gives the song its own depth.  The song’s musical content harkens back to the days of ‘Silent Lucidity’ or perhaps something off of Promised Land with its dual acoustic/electric approach.  The song’s lyrical content set against that dual approach adds even more depth to the song with its seeming introspective feeling.  That feeling is interpreted as LaTorre sings, “Reflections of time/They’re still yours and mine/The things that used to be/Remains so fine/Is the face of a child/Your calm embrace/You’re my shining star of the darkest nights/A saving grace/Seeing the signs of the times/Forever is now/There’s no rewind.” It’s definitely a stark contrast to the much deeper, more contemplative ‘Arrow of Time.’ Yes it seems somewhat schmaltzy considering that verse and the song’s other emotionally introspective verses. But when those verses are set against the song’s musical content, the song becomes far less schmaltzy and much more emotionally hard-hitting. Keeping that in mind, it proves why ‘Just Us’ is another example of why Queensryche remains so relevant and creative to this very day. It is not the last example either. ‘Guardian,’ the album’s second song, is one more example of what has kept Queensryche relevant for so many years.

‘Arrow of Time’ and ‘Just Us’ are both good examples in Queensryche’s new album of what has kept the kept such a relevant part of the rock and music community for so many years. They are just a couple of the songs featured in this record that can be cited as said examples. ‘Guardian’ is one more example of exactly that. ‘Guardian’ comes early in the album’s run. It is in fact the album’s second song. Long-time drummer Scott Rockenfield’s driving tempo serves as the song’s foundation. Wilton and Lundgren build on that foundation, strengthening the song even more. LaTorre tops off the recording’s musical side with his powerhouse vocal delivery. What is really worth noting here is the modern rock vibe generated through Wilton and Lundgren’s work. It is fitting that this is the case with this song considering the song’s lyrical content. The song’s lyrical content is especially relevant in a time of so much unrest. That is clear as La Torre sings, “Insurrection/This time we’re playing for keeps/Arming police like the military/It’s obscene/And they’re stalking the streets.” He goes on to sing in the chorus, “It’s time to rise up/United we stand/Divided we fall/Evolution calling.” Such content comes across as LaTorre commenting on the current state of the nation. The mention of police being armed like the military hits home because there are in fact police departments that have in fact received military caliber weaponry and vehicles. It was even a major news item for some time recently. There’s even a mention in the song about the political elite and other topics. It all comes across as a warning of sorts as to the direction that the country has taken socially and politically. The urgent, up-tempo feel of the song’s musical content couples with that seeming lyrical warning to make this song one that will definitely have listeners taking note. Considering all of this, it becomes clear why ‘Guardian’ is another important and impressive addition to Queensryche’s new album. It works with the other songs noted here and those not directly noted to make Condition Human an album that shows in whole why Queensryche is still just as relevant and creative both musically and lyrically as it was in its infancy more than three decades ago. All things considered Condition Human proves to be an album that is one more of this year’s best new rock offerings.

Condition Human is one of the best new rock albums to be released this year. The twelve-song, fifty-three minute album shows where the band has been and where it is headed from beginning to end. This is at least the case in terms of the album’s musical content. The record’s lyrical content shows just as much the band’s continued ability to adapt to its musical surroundings. The combination of both elements in each song makes Condition Human in whole a record that fans will agree is some of the band’s best work to date. And that is saying a lot considering the band’s extensive body of work. It is an album that, again, is deserving of a spot on any critic’s list of the year’s best new rock albums. Queensryche is currently taking some time off from the road before it heads back out in the New Year in support of Condition Human. The band’s upcoming slate of tour dates kicks off January 7th in San Jose, California. It also includes a date at Amos’ Southend in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, January 19th. Fans can see the band’s current tour schedule online now along with more information on Condition Human and the band’s latest news at:

Website: http://www.queensrycheofficial.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/QueensrycheOfficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/queensryche

 

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Queensryche Announces Release Date For New LP, Tour Dates; Debuts New Single

Courtesy:  Concrete Marketing

Courtesy: Concrete Marketing

Queensryche returns this fall with its latest album.

The band announced Monday that it will release Condition Human on Friday, October 2nd via Century Media Records. Pre-orders for the album, the band’s second with new front man Todd LaTorre, are available online now at http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/queensryche. It is the first album for the band since it settled its court case with now former front man Geoff Tate earlier this year over the rights to the use of the Queensryche brand. Tate now fronts his own band, Operation: Mindcrime, which is named after Queensryche’s hit 1988 album.

Condition Human was helmed by famed producer ZEUSS (Hatebreed, Shadows Fall, Sanctuary) in Queensryche’s home state of Washington. In anticipation of the album’s release, Queensryche has made available for streaming the album’s lead single ‘Arrow of Time.’ Audiences can hear the song now online via SoundCloud at https://soundcloud.com/centurymedia/queensryche-arrow-of-time/s-3aMP6.

Along with the debut of its new single, Queensryche has also announced that it will join fellow veteran rock band Scorpions on the road beginning Thursday, September 10th in Boston, MA. The twenty-two-date tour currently runs through Friday, October 9th and includes performances in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, California, and other locations. The bands’ current tour schedule is listed below.

 

QUEENSRYCHE w/Scorpions

Sep 10 @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA

Sep 11 @ The Chance – Poughkeepsie, NY*

Sep 12 @ Barclay’s Arena – Brooklyn, NY

Sep 13 @ Meadowbrook – Gilford, NH

Sep 14 @ State Theatre – Portland, ME*

Sep 16 @ Moncton Coliseum – Moncton, Canada

Sep 17 @ Imperial Theatre – Quebec, Canada*

Sep 18 @ Molson Canadian Amphitheatre – Toronto, Canada

Sep 19 @ Bell Centre – Montreal, Canada

Sep 22 @ LC Pavilion – Columbus, OH

Sep 23 @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica – Cleveland, OH

Sep 24 @ The Vogue – Indianapolis, IN*

Sep 25 @ Caesar’s Windsor – Windsor, Canada

Sep 26 @ Allstate Arena  – Chicago, IL

Sep 29 @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre – Denver, CO

Oct 01 @ SAP Center – San Jose, CA

Oct 02 @ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe – Stateline, NV*

Oct 03 @ The Forum – Los Angeles, CA

Oct 04 @ House of Blues – San Diego, CA*

Oct 06 @ Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA

Oct 07 @ The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Las Vegas, NV

Oct 09 @ ShoWare Center – Seattle, WA

* QUEENSRYCHE Headlining Off-Date

 

All of the latest information on Queensryche’s new album is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news at:

 

Website: http://www.queensrycheofficial.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/queensrycheofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/queensryche

 

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Tate’s New QR LP Unlike Anything Fans Have Ever Heard

Courtesy:  Deadline Music

Courtesy: Deadline Music

Geoff Tate is one of the most talented and iconic singers in the world of rock music today.  Tate has made a career of fronting the equally iconic hard rock band, Queensryche.  In his most recent album, Tate has shown once again why he is still a vocal powerhouse.  Call it a Queensryche album.  Call it a Geoff Tate album.  Regardless of which side one takes in the ongoing dispute between Tate and his former band mates, one has to admit that even this Queensryche album has its share of positives.  The first of those positives is the album’s opener, ‘Crush.’

‘Cold’ is one of those songs that will take listeners back to the days of Hear in the Now Frontier.  While it is heavier than anything on the aforementioned album, it definitely bears at least some slight semblance to the material from that record.  What makes this song interesting is that for all of its heaviness, lyrically, it doesn’t come across as something that should be quite so heavy.  Tate sings in the song’s chorus, “Would you stay here/If I begged you to/What more can I do/You’re so cold.”  This is a song rooted in relationship matters.  It is that imbalanced juxtaposition of the song’s lyrics to its music that makes it quite the opener for this album.  Rather than being just another moping emo-style piece, Tate and his mostly new band mates have opted for something that instead grabs listeners and engages them right off the bat.

Things get even more interesting after ‘Cold’ as Tate and company launch into the even heavier Dare.  This song (save for its single f-bomb early on) is this album’s most radio ready single.  It is as far from the older days of Queensryche as Tate could get.  That’s evident in the much heavier, more mainstream guitar riffs and electronics.  It’s even unlike what fans have come to expect from Tate’s own previous solo records.  This stark contrast from other songs penned by Tate makes it one more point for listeners to note.  One has to wonder as to whom exactly Tate’s target was here, what with the song’s lyrical content.  He sings in the song’s first verse, “What have you got/What have you got to show/You can’t look it in the eye/That’s how I know/You wouldn’t dare/You wouldn’t dare/You wouldn’t dare hurt me/Cause you just might get hurt yourself.”  On one hand, it could be argued that this is another song based in relationship issues.  But on the other hand, it could just as easily be argued that this is a direct response by Tate to his former band mates considering the two sides’ less than pleasant split in 2012.

Frequency Unknown is an interesting effort from Geoff Tate, needless to say as is evidenced by the songs noted here.  This is not a record for classic Queensryche fans as it breaks completely from the classic Queensryche sound.  That aside, it still bears its own sound that shows Geoff Tate and his band of hired hands has still crafted a record that is worth at least one listen.  It’s just too bad that the band wasn’t able to put its differences aside as it would have been interesting to hear the songs from this album mixed in with those of the music from Tate’s former band mates on their new album.  Until or unless that happens, audiences do have quite the interesting listen in this record.  It is available now in stores and online.  Fans can check out the music from Tate’s Queensryche as the band is touring in support of Frequency Unknown now.  The band will perform today at Club Fever in South Bend, Indiana.  A full listing of tour dates for Tate’s Queensryche can be found online at http://www.queensryche.com/tour/.

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Queensryche’s Upcoming LP A Welcome Return To Form

Courtesy:  Century Media Records

Courtesy: Century Media Records

Queensryche is one of the most well known bands in the history of rock.  This Seattle based band survived the hair metal movement and the nu-wave movement of the 80s.  It also survived the grunge movement of the 90s and even the musical gold rush of 2000.  Throughout all of these different phases that the music industry has seen come and go, Queensryche has had its share of highs with iconic albums such as Empire, Operation: Mindcrime, Rage for Order, and to a slightly lesser degree, Hear in the Now Frontier and Promised Land.  While it did survive the musical gold rush of 2000, the release of its 2003 album, Tribe and its predecessor, Q2K (1999) were met with lukewarm reviews at best.  And 2011’s Dedicated to Chaos was perhaps its least warmly received album in its thirty year plus long career.  Things didn’t get much better after the less than pleasant split between the band and its now former front man Geoff Tate.  But it looks like the band is well back on track with a new front man and a self-titled album that takes long-time fans back to the days of Empire, Rage For Order, and even HITNF and Promised Land.

The very first thing that audiences should note with this new release is not much its musical side but its cover art and title.  Most people don’t pay much attention to any album’s title or even the cover art for its liner notes/booklet.  But in the case of Queensryche, both are of equal significance with this new release.  They are so significant because of the recent history between the band and its former front man.  The artwork for the standard edition of the album is simplistic, unlike that of many of the band’s previous releases.  It is simply the band’s logo set against a solid metallic background.  In its own way, one could argue that this is its own statement of the band redeveloping its identity through this fashion.  Just as the artwork is simple, so is the album’s title.  The band’s very first release way back in 1983 was a self-titled release.  Now three decades later, the band has offered fans another self-titled release.  Again, it seems insignificant on a small scale.  But considering everything that has happened with the band since 2012, making the album self-titled is another statement of rebirth for the band.  Just as Tate was delivering a statement with the title and artwork of his Queensryche album, Frequency Unknown, so is this Queensryche’s album title.  And it’s a statement that is as solid as the album’s musical content.

Musically speaking, this album is a rebirth for this Queensryche band in every way.  The ten songs that comprise the record are classic Queensryche, hands down.  Even with new front man Todd LaTorre manning vocal duties, listeners will be taken back.  If one were to listen to this record without knowing about the band’s rather acrimonious split with Geoff Tate, one would swear they were indeed hearing Tate.  That perhaps is the most intriguing fact of all about this record.  Forget the fact that the classic bombastic guitar work of Michael Wilton and the equally impressive drumming of Scott Rockenfield are back.  LaTorre’s vocal style and sound are near mirror images so to speak of that of the band’s previous singer.  It’s incredible how similar the two sound.  And it is because of this and the album’s overall old school sound (not to mention the statement of the album’s artwork and title), that fans that grew up with Queensryche will cheer happily once more.  It is everything that those fans have awaited for so many years.

Queensryche is currently wrapping up the U.S. leg of its tour in support of its new album.  It will kick off the European leg of its tour beginning October 2nd at the O2 Academy Islington.  Fans can get a complete tour listing and all of the latest tour updates and general news from the band on its Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/QueensrycheOfficial and its official website, http://www.queensrycheofficial.com

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Tate’s Second Solo Record Largely A Success

Courtesy:  Insideout U.S.

Courtesy: Insideout U.S.

Geoff Tate’s new solo record, Kings & Thieves is a drastic improvement from his first solo outing.  The now former Queensryche singer went way out on a limb with his 2002 self-titled solo debut on Sanctuary Records.  The record was experimental to say the least.  And while fans should be proud of him for making the attempt to branch out and do something not so much like that of his main band, he seemed not so certain of himself.  Enter Kings & Thieves.  This record is the polar opposite of Tate’s previous solo effort.  He comes across as being far more in his comfort zone, crafting songs that are more accessible to mainstream audiences.  It is also an album that fans of Queensryche’s Q2K and Dedicated to Chaos will enjoy.

One of the best songs on this new release is the album’s second track, ‘Take a Bullet.’  The song’s musical side makes this song an instant radio hit for Tate and his backing band.  The guitars are just heavy enough to make heads move.  And drummer Bobby Blotzer (Ratt) keeps a solid beat throughout proving that less really can be more.  Lyrically, it would almost seem that this song might have even been somewhat aimed at his now former band mates in QR.  Tate opens the song singing, ‘Paybacks are a bitch sometimes/When you know/You’re pretty good/But never good enough/I know/You believe this show/That you’re drowning/Yeah, you’re going down/Swept away by my undertow.”  He continues his lyrical attack in the song’s chorus.  His forceful manner as sings, “Take a bullet/Yeah, take a bullet/For me/Take a bullet/I’d take a bullet/For you.”  Considering the less than amicable split that seemed to have happened between Tate and his former band mates and its resultant fallout, one can only surmise that if this song is directed at them, what he is saying here.  It’s just one example of what makes this album a worthwhile listen for fans of both Queensryche and Geoff Tate.

Another of the songs that make this album an improvement from his previous solo effort comes closer to the album’s end.  That song is ‘Evil.’  Musically, it’s one of those songs that is more closely associated with material from the likes of Q2K than his previous solo release.  That’s obvious right from the song’s opening strains.  This piece comes across as Tate (or the song’s main character) being involved with someone who comes across as being somewhat deceptive.  He sings, “When you say the things you say/Don’t know how you could/Mean it any other way/Why don’t you say it to my face/You don’t move me/You don’t fool me/What’s the matter/Cause what you give is what you get.”  This is one of those songs to which every person can relate.  Who out there hasn’t encountered people of such serpentine nature at one point or another in their lives?  Even this critic has more than once.  One can only wonder at whom this song was aimed.  It definitely has the fire of someone who has been done wrong by another.

The previous pair of songs already discussed make up just a tiny portion of what fans will enjoy about Geoff Tate’s new solo album.  There is at least one other song that fans will enjoy off of this record.  It’s another piece that comes later in the album’s progression.  That song is ‘These Glory Days.’  This is quite the uplifting song.  It could be argued that this song is a form of social commentary as he sings, “If it’s wrong to do what’s right/Then I fear there’s no time/No time to waste.”  That opening verse leads solidly into the song’s chorus in which Tate sings with the aid of a backing chorus, “Raise your hands/Shout out loud/Give the best you have/And don’t be afraid/In these glory days.”  There’s no doubt left as to what he is saying here.  Any doubt left is wiped out in the song’s final verse, with Tate singing, “Every day is a test/To do the right thing/Do your best/To live without lies/Gonna take it to a higher place.”  Lyrically it’s along the lines of Queensryche’s ‘Sign of the Times’ from the band’s album, Hear in the Now Frontier because of its commentary.  Musically, it’s just as closely related to music from that album, too.  It makes for a very nice bridge between the iconic singer’s past and where he is now in his career.  Again, it makes for just one more piece of the overall musical picture painted that will impress any long-time fan of Geoff Tate or even the most hardcore of Queensryche fans.  Those who would love to hear the album’s other songs can pick it up now as it’s available both in stores and online.  Kings & Thieves can be ordered directly through Geoff Tate’s official website, http://www.geofftate.com

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